Infrastructure

DeKalb County Commission Deputy Presiding Officer and District 1 Commissioner Robert Patrick is supporting the proposed Mercer University Trail and wanting to make sure people have the right information. 

Proposed for the area around Mercer University campus in north DeKalb, the path will be pedestrian and bike-friendly in the Henderson Mill Creek area between Interstate 85, Chamblee-Tucker Road and North Peachtree Creek. 

“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the residents in that area who are really eager to access the natural beauty of that area,” said Patrick, who allocated nearly $50,000 in funding for the preliminary study for the trail. 

“I’ve also heard from some area residents who are a little leery of the trail, mainly because they think it may disrupt their own enjoyment of the natural beauty and peace of that greenspace, impact their property and security.” Patrick believes that the trail will increase the quality of life for residents, preserve greenspace and offer more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

THE PROPOSED TRAIL – FAQS

  • The proposed trail will connect the Mercer University campus to destinations near the Regal 24 movie theater, Kroger, local schools and the former Presidential Parkway Hotel.
  • The PATH Foundation – a partner with the Atlanta Beltline, PATH 400 and other regional greenway trails – has been contracted to lead planning, design and construction for much of DeKalb’s greenway trail network. 
  • Planners are laying out conceptual alignments for the trail based on input and feedback from the community. There have been well-attended three public meetings 
  • Current plans call for the trail to encompass the Mercer campus and adjacent properties and include a route around Henderson Middle School with spurs angling northwest toward Peachtree Creek, northeast toward Embry Village and east, across Interstate 285, to Evansdale Elementary School. 
  • The four planned sections of trail will cover approximately 7.3 8.9 miles:
    • The Peachtree Creek Greenway: 2.3 miles 
    • The Mercer Loop and Warren PCG Connector: 2.6 miles 
    • The Henderson Middle School Connector: 1.4 miles
    • PCG Connector: The Embry Village Trail: 1.0 miles   

PATH transportation planner Eric Ganther noted that, at this stage, the exact location and length of each portion of the trail is conceptual for the planning phase. “We won’t have precise mileages until we get into the design phase,” he said.

Much of the public input the working group has received so far is the result of an online survey and three public meetings, with the majority of responses from residents who live near Peachtree Creek or Henderson Mill Creek. 

As detailed in a report put together by the working group, concerns have been raised by some residents who fear the path may attract a criminal element, impact their privacy or frighten wildlife. There also are concerns that the concrete trail will need to be elevated above the floodplain and essentially constitute a “bike road” that will destroy the character of the area. 

PATH and other members of the working group noted that nearly all the homes in the area are well away from the proposed trail, with an average of at least 350 feet between the trail and the houses along Henderson Mill Creek. The study also noted that the area is thick with a trees and vegetation that provide year-round visual privacy.   

As far as crime, PATH reported that interviews with law enforcement agencies in Chamblee, Dunwoody and DeKalb County found “no correlation between trails and an increase in violent crime.”

“Primary trail users are likely to be neighbors and people attending Mercer University” as well as employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation field headquarters on Flowers Road, the report says. “Trails are typically dawn to dusk and would be patrolled by DeKalb County Police or City of Chamblee Police who have indicated that “crime in areas around trails may actually be lower than in areas without trails due to the ‘eyes on the street’ effect.”

As to concerns about nighttime brightness, lighting is only installed on “highly urbanized trails such as the Atlanta Beltline” and will not be recommended for the Mercer trails.

“The overall trail aesthetic is greatly influenced by the landscaping choices made alongside it,” PATH stated. “Grass is chosen because of ease of maintenance but there are PATH trails that use a native mix of native plants and wildflowers, for example, instead of grass.”

In terms of wildlife and native vegetation, the PATH presentation indicated that the trail may do a better job of attracting wildlife by creating nice habitats with flowers and other landscape choices while creating access and opportunity for invasive species removal which threatens the future of the entire flood plain

“As a homeowner myself, I understand residents’ concerns about the possible impact of the Mercer Trail,” said Patrick. “But I’ve also looked at all of the data PATH and our working group have put together – and there’s a lot of it – and I think going ahead with this nature-friendly asset will be a benefit to everyone, including local residents and visitors looking for a natural, relaxing walk or bike ride.” 

Proposed Mercer University Trail brings hiking and biking to Henderson Mill, North Peachtree Creek and preserves greenway’s natural beauty

October 24, 2024

DeKalb County Commission Deputy Presiding Officer and District 1 Commissioner Robert Patrick is supporting the proposed Mercer University Trail and wanting to make sure people have the right information. 

Proposed for the area around Mercer University campus in north DeKalb, the path will be pedestrian and bike-friendly in the Henderson Mill Creek area between Interstate 85, Chamblee-Tucker Road and North Peachtree Creek. 

“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the residents in that area who are really eager to access the natural beauty of that area,” said Patrick, who allocated nearly $50,000 in funding for the preliminary study for the trail. 

“I’ve also heard from some area residents who are a little leery of the trail, mainly because they think it may disrupt their own enjoyment of the natural beauty and peace of that greenspace, impact their property and security.” Patrick believes that the trail will increase the quality of life for residents, preserve greenspace and offer more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

THE PROPOSED TRAIL - FAQS

  • The proposed trail will connect the Mercer University campus to destinations near the Regal 24 movie theater, Kroger, local schools and the former Presidential Parkway Hotel.
  • The PATH Foundation – a partner with the Atlanta Beltline, PATH 400 and other regional greenway trails – has been contracted to lead planning, design and construction for much of DeKalb’s greenway trail network. 
  • Planners are laying out conceptual alignments for the trail based on input and feedback from the community. There have been well-attended three public meetings 
  • Current plans call for the trail to encompass the Mercer campus and adjacent properties and include a route around Henderson Middle School with spurs angling northwest toward Peachtree Creek, northeast toward Embry Village and east, across Interstate 285, to Evansdale Elementary School. 
  • The four planned sections of trail will cover approximately 7.3 8.9 miles:
    • The Peachtree Creek Greenway: 2.3 miles 
    • The Mercer Loop and Warren PCG Connector: 2.6 miles 
    • The Henderson Middle School Connector: 1.4 miles
    • PCG Connector: The Embry Village Trail: 1.0 miles   

PATH transportation planner Eric Ganther noted that, at this stage, the exact location and length of each portion of the trail is conceptual for the planning phase. “We won’t have precise mileages until we get into the design phase,” he said.

Much of the public input the working group has received so far is the result of an online survey and three public meetings, with the majority of responses from residents who live near Peachtree Creek or Henderson Mill Creek. 

As detailed in a report put together by the working group, concerns have been raised by some residents who fear the path may attract a criminal element, impact their privacy or frighten wildlife. There also are concerns that the concrete trail will need to be elevated above the floodplain and essentially constitute a “bike road” that will destroy the character of the area. 

PATH and other members of the working group noted that nearly all the homes in the area are well away from the proposed trail, with an average of at least 350 feet between the trail and the houses along Henderson Mill Creek. The study also noted that the area is thick with a trees and vegetation that provide year-round visual privacy.   

As far as crime, PATH reported that interviews with law enforcement agencies in Chamblee, Dunwoody and DeKalb County found “no correlation between trails and an increase in violent crime.”

“Primary trail users are likely to be neighbors and people attending Mercer University” as well as employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation field headquarters on Flowers Road, the report says. “Trails are typically dawn to dusk and would be patrolled by DeKalb County Police or City of Chamblee Police who have indicated that “crime in areas around trails may actually be lower than in areas without trails due to the ‘eyes on the street’ effect.”

As to concerns about nighttime brightness, lighting is only installed on “highly urbanized trails such as the Atlanta Beltline” and will not be recommended for the Mercer trails.

“The overall trail aesthetic is greatly influenced by the landscaping choices made alongside it,” PATH stated. “Grass is chosen because of ease of maintenance but there are PATH trails that use a native mix of native plants and wildflowers, for example, instead of grass.”

In terms of wildlife and native vegetation, the PATH presentation indicated that the trail may do a better job of attracting wildlife by creating nice habitats with flowers and other landscape choices while creating access and opportunity for invasive species removal which threatens the future of the entire flood plain

“As a homeowner myself, I understand residents’ concerns about the possible impact of the Mercer Trail,” said Patrick. “But I’ve also looked at all of the data PATH and our working group have put together – and there’s a lot of it – and I think going ahead with this nature-friendly asset will be a benefit to everyone, including local residents and visitors looking for a natural, relaxing walk or bike ride.” 

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